Deputy General Counsel, Americas
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The Deputy General Counsel – Americas Regions (DGC--Americas) will operate under the direction of the Firm's Global General Counsel (GC) and Director of Professional Responsibility (DPR), responsible for a wide variety of duties as part of the Office of General Counsel (OGC), including but not limited to, assisting the OGC to manage risk and compliance specifically, and legal matters generally, throughout Baker McKenzie's Americas Regions. The role-holder will provide legal advice and support to the Americas Chief Executive and Global Management Committee members, regional leadership, office managing partners, and other business professionals on such issues.
Main responsibilities Help manage and mitigate risk and compliance, and legal issues generally across Baker McKenzie's North America and Latin America Regions (Canada / Mexico / United States and Argentina / Chile / Colombia / Venezuela, respectively)
Oversight of the risk and compliance function for the Americas Regions, on behalf of and in close coordination with others in the Office of General Counsel, including counseling on complex risk and ethical issues, internal investigations, AML and related issues, anti-bribery issues, and regional and local regulatory issues
Provide legal advice in the first instance to the business in the Regions, and legal advice counselling to regional, office, and practice group leadership
Deliver global risk and compliance training in the Regions, and ensure mandatory completion of the same
Coalesce and lead the global risk community members in the Regions, as a subset of the broader global risk community
Work with Principals and partners to resolve ethical and business conflict issues, including outside counsel guidelines advice
Support and advise regional leadership on Firm and Regional governance and constitutional issues
Support and advise regional and office leadership in relation to the Firm structure, local structure and the regulation of legal services
Promote and embed consistent global Firm standards of good conduct, professional responsibility and ethics as articulated in the Firm's Code of Business Conduct, Attorney Manual, and relevant workplace and other policies, including conducting or coordinating workplace investigations
Assist with and advise on employment, labor, and human resources issues in the region, including sensitive internal investigations and supporting and/or counselling management and the HR function as necessary
Assist with claims defense management and direction, as and when needed by the OGC
Assist in selecting, retaining and supervising outside counsel as directed by the GC, on claims, employment or other matters. Prepare and update budgets for legal matters within the OGC's area of responsibility. Negotiate fees. Evaluate the performance of outside counsel and review legal bills for accuracy and cost efficiency
Assist in policy drafting and implementation
Skills and experience An undergraduate degree and a graduate law degree
Strong, broad-based experience in the legal profession or an in-house legal department is required
Be bar-admitted and in good standing in the jurisdiction the candidate resides
In-house legal department and/or dedicated risk management experience is preferred
Able to work effectively in a team-oriented, fast-paced, highly visible environment where tasks are often sensitive and confidential in nature, and must demonstrate a detail-oriented personality while maintaining a good grasp of the Firm's broader values and strategy
Strong cross-cultural communication and organization skills, as well as the professional seasoning, credibility and judgment necessary to gain the respect and confidence of the Firm's senior management, distributed leadership and professionals
Possess excellent research and writing skills, as well as excellent verbal communication skills, to distill legal problems and their solutions effectively
Exceptional ability to collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and information, and strong analytic and problem-solving skills, with a focus on process and project management
Work with minimum supervision, delegate when appropriate, and meet deadlines while under pressure and with frequent interruptions
Have outstanding interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a consensus-driven organization and to create consensus-based support for processes and outcomes, as well as work effectively with a highly motivated partner group
Possess a strong moral compass, an unwavering commitment to the Firm's stated values, and the fortitude to objectively advise strong personalities
Reports to: General Counsel & Director of Professional Responsibility
Direct Reports: Legal / Compliance Directors and Business Professionals across the Regions
Travel Requirements: The DGC-Americas will be required to travel regularly within the Americas Regions to deliver risk management training, assist in conducting internal investigations, and support global risk and compliance initiatives. Some travel outside of the region may be required annually.
Position Type Specialist
Development Framework Associate Director
Seniority level Director
Employment type Full-time
Job function Management
Industries Law Practice
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- Location:
- Chicago, IL, United States
- Job Type:
- FullTime
- Category:
- Legal